1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and package for storing a pressurized container containing a drug.
2. Description of the Background Art
For environmental reasons, there has been a move to replace chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) (also simply known as "fluorocarbons") such as P11, P114 and P12 with hydrofluoroalkane propellants such as HFC-134a and HFC-227. When these fluorocarbon propellants are used as a propellant in a pressurized drug delivery system, various technical problems can occur with various drug formulations. Also, it is necessary to modify the construction of metered dose inhalers for optimum stability and aerosol formation.
One storing mechanism for a metered dose inhaler (MDI) uses a plastic tube which has a resealable lid to close the tube. The resealable lid for this tube employs a desiccant to absorb moisture present in the tube.
Such plastic tubes typically increase manufacturing cost and require complex and/or expensive manufacturing processes. Such tubes are frequently bulky in that they require a significant amount of storage space relative to the size of the container disposed within the plastic tube.